Molding machine



.Qct. 6, 1936. J. J. LAWLOR MOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1934 3Sheets-Sheet l R. JJL WLOR ATTORNEY.

'Oct. 6, 1936. J. J. LAWLQR MOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1954 I 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR J2 J2 LAWLOR ATTORNEY. 4

INVENTOR.

x Oct. 6, 1936. J. J. LAWLOR MOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1954 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 6, 1936 MOLDING MACHINE John J. Lawlor, Plainfield, N. J.,assignor to General Foundry Machinery Corporation, Wilmington, DeL, acorporation'of Delaware Application September 15, 1934, Serial No.744,149

11 Claims.

My invention relates to machines for making molds for foundry use andthe like and hasfor an object to provide a machine which will facilitatethe handling: of flasks and the forming of molds therein. a

More specifically my object is to provide machine which may be manuallyoperated and in. which the movable parts are so counterweighted that themachine may be operated by a single man, except. for removing the moldfrom the machine.

In practice the machines may be used in pairs, with an operator for eachmachine, and then the two operators will assist each other in removing amold from either machine whenit is completed, but all other operationsof each ma-- chine will be preformed and controlled by the individualoperator of that machine.

I prefer to use a separate flask for each mold.

I This avoids the necessity of jacketing the molds and also does awaywith the necessity of using sand strips, because the cope is providedwith bars fitted therein which serve to retain the sand in the mold, andas a consequence there is no settling of the sand after the patternplate has been removed and the cope is closed on the drag. It is,therefore, an object of my invention to provide a machine in which theflask members may be readily secured and removed so that the operatormay disconnect the flask from the machine and replace it with another,in a minimum of time.

Another object of my invention is to so ar-" range certain operatingparts that after the cope has been rammed the flask sections may beseparated and the pattern drawn carefully under perfect control of theoperator. 7

' Another object of my invention is to provide sliding counterweights toaid the operator in lifting and lowering the cope.

Another object of my invention is to provide bumpers for the slidingcounterweights which will prevent jarring that might injure the mold.

Still other objects of my invention will appear in the followingdescription of a specific'embodiment of my invention and the novelty andscope of the invention will thereafter be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 isa plan view of my improved molding machine; Q

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same shown partly in. section toillustrate certain details;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine;

Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive are-somewhat diagrammatical views, showingsuccessive positions of the flask sections and pattern plate in themachine; and

Fig. 9 isa view in section of a detail, the section being taken on theline 99 of Fig. 2.

Themain frame of my machine comprises a pair of side frame members Ill,connected at the bottom byspacer bars II. The latter, as shownparticularly in Fig. 2, extend through the side frame members andprovide axles for wheels or rollers E2 on which the machine issupported. The frame members are angled inwardly toward the forward endof the machine, where they are of reduced height to form shoulders orsteps l3 on which a table l4 may rest when in'lowered position; The topof the table is of the form shown particularly in Fig. 1, being providedwith pairs of arms l5 which extend forwardly, rearwardly and laterally.The body of the table is formed with apair 0f depending extensions l6which are adapted to slide in guideways ll formed in thejframe membersin. c

Secured tothe frame members If! immediately below the table is atransverse shaft I 8 upon which isgpivoted a tiltingframe [9. The latteris of substantially rectangular form, consisting of a. pair of side armsconnected at the top by a cross arm 2t which serves as a handle for theframe, and connected atthe bottom by a heavy counterweight 2i. Mountedin the. frame I9 is a transverse pintle rod 23, and a correspondingpintle. rod 22 is .mounted in the extensions [6. Links 24 jour'naled atopposite ends on these pintle-rods serve'to connect the table to thetiltingframe. The tilting frame is angled outwardly from the pintlerod22, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 3, so that the handle 20 willclear'the links 24 and also will be in position where it maybe readilyseized by the operator. The extensions I6 are formed with slots [6a, asshown in Figs. 2 and 9, to clear the shaft l8 and its mountings.

When the table is in raised position, the shaft l8, and the pintle rods22 and 23 lie in a common vertical planeand the table is thus held ondead center in its'raised position. However, to insure perfectsteadiness of the table during the raming operations that are to bepreformed on the flasks supported by the table, I provide a lockingdevice for the table. This device also serves to control thedrawi-ng ofthe pattern, as will be explained hereinafter, and for convenience]?callit a draw control". The draw control comprises a draw pin 25-(Figs'. 2 and 9) which'is slidable in a bearing 26 in one of the framemembers ID. The draw pin is adapted to engage the extension IS on thatside of the machine and may be forced inward against said extension "5by an eccentric 21 journaled on a bracket 28 secured to said framememher. The eccentric is provided with a control handle 29 by which theposition of the pin 25 may be accurately controlled. It will be observedthat said extension IB is tapered to form a slightly inclined bearingsurface l6b, as shown in Fig. 2, and that the end of the pin 25 iscorrespondingly tapered to fit against said surface.

Because of the taper of the surface I6b, the table cannot descendwithout wedging the draw pin outward or toward the right, as viewed inFigs. 2 and 9, and such movement of the pin may be very accuratelycontrolled by means of the eccentric 21. It is desirable to keep the pin25 from turning in its bearing and consequently the pin is formed with akey 30 which fits .a key-way in the bearing 26.

Secured to the frame members l and extending outwardly therefromimmediately below the step [3 are two brackets 3|. Each bracket isformed'with a slideway 32 in its upper surface extending outwardly fromthe frame members and with a central slot 33 in the slideway. Fitted toslide in these ways are transverse bars 34 which are held to thebrackets by means of bolts or screws 35 passed through said slots.Extending vertically from each bar are two pins or fingers 36 which, aswill be explained more fully hereinafter, are adapted to support thepattern plate during a certain operation of the machine. By reason ofthe slots 33 the pins may be adjusted toward or from the table 14 andmay pass outside the lateral arms 15 of the table to support the patternplates of small molds.

Each frame member ID is formed at the rear of the machine with a pair ofvertical extensions or arms 31 which rise considerably above the stepI3. The arms 31 areconnected at the bottom by a transverse cross bar 38.Integral with the frame member and below the bar 38 there is an opening39 to clear and provide ready access to certain adjusting mechanismpresently to be arms 31, and said screw may be held at desiredadjustment by a lock nut 46.' The two blocks 4! provide bearings 'for ashaft 4'! which extends transversely therethrough. The shaft is providedwith flanges 48 which bear against the inner face of the blocks 4|respectively. The shaft 41 projects beyond each block and has a pair oflevers 50 mounted and keyed thereon, there being a lever at each side ofthe'machine."

At the forward end of eachlever 50 there is a' trunnion bearing 'in'which slides a trunnion shaft 52, as shown particularly in Fig.2; Eachtrunnion shaft is formed with a key-way 53 adapted to be engaged by akey 54 slidable in the trunnion bearing 5|. A spring 55 normally pressesthe key into engagement with the slot 53. The key 54 is provided with astem 56 which pro jects from the top of the trunnion block and isprovided with a handle 51 by which the key 54 maybe raised out of theslot to permit'of turn- :ing the trunnionshaft in its bearing. Collars58 are provided at each side of the trunnion bearing and may be securedto the trunnion shaft by means of screws 60 to hold the shaft at desiredlongitudinal adjustment and yet permit the shaft to turn when the key 54is withdrawn therefrom. At the inner end of each trunnion shaft, thereis a trunnion head 6| firmly fixed upon the shaft. Each trunnion head isfitted with a pair of trunnion pins 62 slidable therein and normallypressed toward the table l4 by means of springs 63. Each pair of pins 62has a stem which is riveted or otherwise secured at its other end to aplate 64. The latter bears against the outer face of the trunnion headBI and serves as a stop for the spring pressed pins. The plate 64 on oneof the trunnion heads, preferably that at the right in Fig. 2, projectsabove the trunnion head so that it will be engaged by a cam or eccentric65 journaled in a housing 66 carried by said trunnion head. A handle 61projects through the housing 66 and permits of turning the eccentric sothat it will bear against the plate 64 and withdraw the pins 62. One ofthe levers 50, preferably that at the left hand side of the machine, isprovided with a bracket 68 which extends outwardly and forwardly andcarries, at its outer end, a handle 69. This provides means for liftingthe levers from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 7. Itwill be recalled that the levers 50 are keyed to the shaft, so that whenone .arm is raised the other will also be raised.

Each lever 50 is formed with a rearwardly extending arm provided with alongitudinal slot H therein to receive shafts 12 on which rollers 13 arejournaled. The arms are formed with flanges 14 on which the rollers '13are adapted to run. Immediately below each arm 10 there is a weightwhich is connected by links 16 to the shafts 12 of the rollers. Theweights 15 assist in raising the trunnion heads when they are carrying aload. As the load is raised the weights 15 will slide rearward or towardthe free ends of the arms 10, increasing the leverage. When the arms 50are lowered to the position shown in Fig. 3, the weights 15 will slideforward by gravity because of a slight inclination of the flanges 14,and in their forward position the weights 15 will be over-balanced bythe trunnion heads. The levers will then rest on adjustable stops 1'!projecting from the frame members H). To absorb any shock which mayresult from movement of the weight, bumpers 18 of flexible material areprovided to limit the forward travel of the weights. Each bumper isfitted upon the end of a screw 19 which has threaded engagement with anangle bracket 8|] secured to the underface of the lever 50. A look nuton each screw 19 permits of adjusting the position of the bumpers, asdesired, to counterbalance the weight carried by the forward endsofthe'levers. Resilient bumpers 82 are provided at the outer end of eacharm 10 to absorb the shock when the weight 14 slides to the rear end ofits travel.

While I have referred to the table l4 as being raised by acounterweighted tilting frame, it will be evident that this frame andthe members 24 constitute the links of a toggle which the counterweighttends to hold in alinement. The toggle is broken or flexed by pullingthe. handle 20, and then the more the toggle flexes the greater will betheleverage exerted by the counterweight. In other words, increasedtoggle leverage exerted by the table as it descends will be' compensatedby leveragethus resisting acceleration of the table. In operation, themachine must first be adjusted to the length of the flask'that is to beused therein. The cope section of thefiask is first placed on the tableM, in inverted position. The levers 5B are then swung down and thehandles 51 raised to permit of inverting the trunnion heads to theposition shown in Fig. 4. Thetrunnion heads must then beadjusted so thatthe trunnion pins 62 will enter sockets formed in opposite ends of thecope section. This is done by loosening the screws 60 and sliding thetrunnion shafts 52 inward or outward,

as may be required. After this adjustment has been made the shafts 52are locked in' place by means of the screws 6!! and then the trunnionshafts will need no further adjustment. Thereafter, to, attach a copesection to the trunnion heads it is merely. necessary to operate thehandle 6? to withdraw the right hand trunnion pins and then, after thecope section has been set in pro-per position'on the table with the lefthand trunnion pins engaging the socketsof the cope section, the handletil is turned back to normal position permitting the righthand trunnionpins to engage the sockets on the right hand end of the cope section. Byreasonof the spring backing for the pins 62 in each of the trunnionheads ample allowance is made for slight variations that may occur inthe size of different flask sections.

With a cope section 84 inverted and fitted in the trunnion heads andresting on the table which is in raised position, as shown in Fig. 4,the next operation is to place a pattern plate 85 on the cope section,and then to place the drag section B6 of the flask in inverted position,on the pattern plate. It will be understood that the various sections ofthe flask and the pattern plate are provided with the usual means forcentering the parts. For any material variation in size of pattern platethe fingers 36 must be adjusted in their guide slots so that they willpass under the projecting pattern plate and in this adjustment they maybe secured permanently as long as the same pattern plate is to be used.

The operator now fills the drag with sand and carefully rams the sandaround the pattern pro-.

jecting therein. This done a bottom board 81 is placed over the dragsection and secured thereto as well as to the cope by means of clamps88. The method of securing the bottom board to the flask will vary withdiiierent makes of flasks, but any of the well known means for thispurpose may be employed. After the drag has been rammed and the bottomboard applied, the operator, by seizing the handle 69, raises the flaskclear of the table I l and then the flask will turn over by gravity onthe trunnion shafts 52 as an axis, by reason of the greater weight ofthe filled drag section over that of the empty cope section. When theflask has turned over the keys 54 will snap into the key-ways 53 andhold the trunnion heads against oscillating. Fig. 5 shows the positionof the flask after it has been turned over and redeposited on the table.The latter remains in its raised position, while the operator fills thecope with sand and rams the sand tightly about the portion of thepattern projecting therein.

The next operation is to draw the pattern. The clamps 88 are released.Then the draw handle 29 is operated to permit gradual withincreasedcounterweight drawal of the draw pin 25 and at the, same, time thehandle 20 is pulled forward to swing the pintl'e rod 22 off dead center;The table will then move downward by gravity'under control of the drawhandle 29. As the table is lowered the pins 36 will engage the patternplate and.

lift it off the drag, as shown in Fig. 6. The cope is then lifted clearof the pattern plate by operating the handle 69 to raise the levers 5i!and the parts will then assume the position shown in Fig. '7. Thepattern plate which is resting on the pins 36 is now removed and thetable is again.

raised by lifting the handle 28 of the tilting frame. After locking thetable in raised position by means of the draw handle 29, the copeislowered upon the drag by pulling down. on.

of difierent height, in order to allow for varia-- tions in depth of thepattern; for'it will be evident that when drawing the pattern, thepattern plate must be lowered sufficiently for the cope to clear saidpattern as the levers 50 are swung upward.

While I have described a specific embodiment of my invention it will beunderstood that many variations can be made in theform, structure, andarrangementzof parts without departing from the spiritv and scope of myinvention as described in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Pat:-

ent is: I

1. In a molding machine, a. table mounted to move vertically, means foractuating said table, a wedge for checking movement of the table, andmeans for gradually releasing said wedge to permit controlled movementof the table.

2. In a molding machine, a frame, a table vertically slidable therein,means f or raising the table when empty but yielding to the weight ofthe table when loaded, a wedge carried by the table, a friction deviceadapted to bear against said wedge as the table descends, and means forcontrolling the effectiveness of said friction device and therebycontrolling descent of the table.

3. In a molding machine, a frame, a. table vertically slidable therein,means for raising the table when empty but yielding to the weight of thetable when loaded, a pair of cooperating wedges carried by the frame andtable respectively, one of the wedges being moved laterally byengagement with the other as the table descends, and means forcontrolling movement of the laterally movable wedge and therebycontrolling the descent of the table.

4. In a molding machine, a frame, a table vertically slidable in saidframe, a toggle mechanism supporting the table and adapted when thelinks of the toggle are alined to hold the table in raised position,said toggle mechanism including a lever arm, a counterweight carried bysaidarm, means for flexing the toggle mechanism' out of alinement topermit descent of the table, the counterweight being so disposed withrespect to the toggle mechanism as to exert increased leverage thereonas the toggle flexure increases, and a brake carried by said frame forretarding descent of the table.

5. In a molding machine, a frame, a table vertically slidable in saidframe, a toggle mechanism supporting the table and adapted when thelinks of the toggle are alined to hold the table in raised position,said toggle mechanism including a lever arm, a counterweight carried bysaid arm, means for flexing the toggle mechanism out of alinement topermit descent of the table, the counterweight being so disposed withrespect to the toggle mechanism as to exert increased leverage thereonas the toggle flexure increases, a wedge adapted to prevent lowering ofthe table, and means for gradually releasing the wedge to control therate of descent of the table.

6. In a molding machine, a table mounted to move Vertically, a framemounted on a horizontal axis and adapted to swing about said axis andabove the table, trunnion members journaled in the frame on oppositesides of the table, means for attaching a flask to said trunnionmembers, a counterweight having a tendency to lift the flask, saidcounterweight being movable by gravity along the frame to increase saidtendency as the flask is raised.

7. In a molding machine, a table mounted to move vertically, a framemounted on a horizontal axis and adapted to swing about said axis andabove the table, trunnion members journaled in the frame on oppositesides of the table, means for attaching a flask to said trunnionmembers, a counterweight having a tendency to lift the flask, saidcounterweight being movable by gravity along the frame to increase saidtendency as the flask is raised, and yielding stops for-limiting thetravel of the counterweight along the frame.

8. In a molding machine, a table mounted to move vertically, a framemounted on a horizontal axis and adapted to swing about said axis andabove the table, trunnion members journaled in the frame on oppositesides of the table, means for attaching a flask to said trunnionmembers, a counterweight having a tendency to lift the flask, thecounterweight being movable by gravity along the frame to increase saidtendency as the flask is raised, a stop for limiting the travel of saidcounterweight along the frame, and means for adjusting the position ofsaid stop.

9. In a molding machine, a table adapted to support a flask, a framemounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis, trunnions carried by theframe on the forward side of the axis, means for attaching the flask tothe trunnions, said frame having an extension on the other side of theaxis and providing a track, a counterweight mounted to move by gravityalong said track, the track being slightly forwardly inclined when theflask is resting on the table whereby the counterweight will move bygravity toward said axis.

10. In a molding machine, a frame mounted to operate on a horizontalaxis, trunnions carried by the frame on the forward side of the axis,means for attaching a flask to the trunnions, a stop'against which theframe rests when in lowered position, the frame having an extension onthe other side of the axis providing a track, a counterweight mounted totravel by gravity along said'track, said track being slightly forwardlyinclined when the frame engages the stop, whereby the weight will moveforward toward said axis, and an adjustable stop for'limiting forwardmovement of the counterweight. Y

11. In a molding machine, a frame mounted to swing vertically, trunnionsjournaled in the frame, means carried by said trunnions for engaging theflask, an arm extending from the frame, and a counterweight movable bygravity along said arm to automatically vary the leverage of saidcounterweight as the frame is swung.

JOHN J. LAWLOR.

